Rotary expansion engine



' June 1, 1926.

O. S. BOWMAN ROTARY EXPANSION ENGINE Filed June 7, 1921 NA W H mm M1 N m m W A N F mww Y B :7 m 3 m A 3 Q 7/ 9m Q 0 E i 3 Y am hm vw F latented June 1, 1926. i i

OLIVER S. BOWMAN, OF COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.

ROTARY EXPANSION ENGINE.

Application filed June '7, 1921. Serial No. 475,660.

My invention consists of a rotary expantake ports being controlled by poppet valves, sion engine. 41, 42,43, 44 (Figs. 1, 2), and rollers 24, The principal object of my invention is to 4, 24 i and cam track 23 (Figs. 1, 5, 6). provide a rotary engine having a plurality Section 23 of the cam track is integral with 69 of cylindrical expansion; chambers, with one section of the casin 29 and section 23 'm'ovable pistons, rotatable (1) without heat is movabie to adjust the track lengt iwise, as loss fromxradiation,- 2) without atmosshown in Figure pheric friction, without atmospheric re- Pipes extend from the exhaust ports in sistance against the pistons and witheach cylinder and rotate with them,.onlv e 19 out reciprocating motion. 7 v two of which, 25, 26, are shown in Fig. In the accompanying drawings I have Said pipes exhaust alternately through port shown what I now consider the preferred extending downward from the hollow in form of an illustration embodying-the essenshaft 15.

tial features of my engine, and in these 2728 indicate packing. to drawings: 2 x 7 All rotatable parts are enclosed within an Figure 1 is a vertical section through the air-tight case, 29, resting on hubs 5, 6. ylinders; i i means of lever 30, this case, with cam-track "Figure 2 is a vertical section of the engine 23, may be moved and the engine rotated ont-he'line AA in Figure 1; in either direction. The lever 30 has a 29 Figures 3 and 4 show the bearing detail flexible extension 30 provided with a lug of the connecting rods; 30 which engages notches 30 in quadrant Figures 5 and Gshow detail of the track 30 and holds the case in the desired posioperating valve cams, with means for adtion. justing cut-oil; The removal of plate 31 permits the adso Figure 7 shows detail of the distributing justment of cam-track 23-23 chamber, or pipe, and intake pipes; Vacuum pump 33, bracketed conveniently Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevation showto case 29, and connected therewith by pipe ing the-quadrant 7 32, derives its motion from the main shaft Figure 9 is a plan view of Figure 8. via gears 3435 and a screw enclosed with- Referring to the drawings, my engine, as in '36, and furnishes means for maintaining here shown, consists of four single-acting a vacuum in said case 29. cylinders, 1, 2, 3, 4 (although I contemplate 37 is the main belt pulley, although I conthe'use of aless orgr-eater number), radiattemplate the use of gears or other means of ing 'froina common base forming a hub, 5 connection with the hub 5. and 6. (As indicated. in Fig. 2, 6 is not an Means of lubr1cating bearings, including integral part of said hub but is bolted oil cups, pipes, etc., are plainly indicated in thereon); r Fig. 2. 'The conventional method of in- Hub 5 6 is supported by and has bearjecting oil into live steam is implied for cylings on two fixed hollow shafts, 14, 15, servinder. lubrication. g5 ing also as main intake and exhaust ports Referring to the operation of my engine: respectively, and fixed by key or set screw Hub 5-6 supporting the cylinders and at- V in supports 1617. tached pipes, has hearings on and therefore Connecting rods, 7, 8, 9, 10 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, rotates around hollow shafts 14-15, while 4) are all supported on crank 11, extending the connecting rods, 7, 8, 9, 10, extending from shaft 15, and have a common bearing from pistons 1 2, 3 4, all have a bearing thereon; rods 8 and 10 being supported dion, and therefore rotate around 11; the power rectly on said crank, while their elongated stroke being twice the distance between the hubs (Fig. 4) furnish a supporting bearing centers of 11 and 1415, the same as if the for rods 7 .and 9, which are split at the base cylinders were rigid and 11 and 15 rotated. 106 59 to facilitate assembling. Steam passes through the opening 14 in Distributing chamber or pipe, 18 (Figs. 2, hollow shaft 14, thence into distributing 7), extending through hub 6, is keyed thercchamber or pipe 18, thence into pipes 19, 20, to and forms its actual bearing on 14. Pipes 21, 22, thence into chambers 37, 38, 39, 40 1 9, 20, 21, 22, extend from 18 to intake ports (19, 21 being completely shown in Fig. 2). 55 in cylinders 1, 2, 3, 4 respectively (pipes 19, Contact of rollers 24, 24, 24", 24 with cir- 21 being clearly shown in Fig. 2), said incular track 23 alternately opens poppet valves ll, 4'2, l3, 4A, permitting steam to enter cylinders 1, 2, 3, at; said val ves closing when the rollers leave track 2;).

hen each cylinder is at its lowest point, as indicated by cylinder 3 in Figs. 1, :2, its exhaust ports are uncovered, the expanded steam exhausting through pipes and Q6 (and the other pipes not shown), through port 15 and the hollow 15, in pipe 15; 15 serving as an exhaust port for all the cylinders.

The throttle opening communication between steam boiler and l-il is not indicated.

My engine is reversed by swinging case 29 to a point which brings the reverse end of track 23 to the highest elevation. Said casing remaining stationary during the operation of the engine.

The ratio of cut-oil to the piston stroke may be varied by moving 23 in the manner indicated.

By means of pump 33 a vacuum is maintained in casing 29.

I claim:

1. In arotary expansion engine, including in combination two standards; a hollow shaft fixed in one standard and a hollow shal't fixed in the other standard; a crank on said last named hollow shaft, a hollow hub mounted on said hollow shafts and enclosing said crank; a plurality of cylinders, having intake ports in their heads and er; haust ports in their bases, mounted radially on said hub; pistons mounted in said cylinders; piston rods connecting said pistons and said crank; intake pipes extending ra dially from one hollow pipe into communication with the intake ports of said cylinders; pipes extending from the other hollow shaft into comnnmication with the exhaust ports of said cylinders; a poppet valve mounted in the head of each cylinder; a case mounted on. said hub; a cam roller on the stem of each poppet valve; a segment of circular track, adjustable with respect to its length, mounted in said case and adapted to cooperate with said cam rollers to open and close said valves and to time said opening and closing.

2. In a rotary expansion engine, including in combination two standards, a hollow shalt lined in one standard and a hollow shaft fixed in the other standard; a crank on said last named hollow shaft; a hollow hub mounted on said hollow shafts and enclosing said crank; a plurality oi cylinders, having intake ports in their heads and exhaust ports in their bases, mounted radially on said hub; pistons mounted in said cylinders; piston rods connecting said pistons and crank; intake pipes extending from one hollow pipe into communication with the intake ports of said cylinders; pipes extending from the other hollow shaft into communication with the exhaust ports of said cylinder; :1 poppet valve, carrying a cam roller on its stem, mounted in the head of each cylinder; a case mounted on said hub; a segment of circular track, adjustable with respect to its length, mounted in said case and adapted to cooperate with said cam rollers to open and close said valves and to time said opening and closing; a lever mounted on said case and adapted to swing said case and thereby reverse the motion of said hub and cylinders; a quadrant mounted on one of said standards and adapted to cooperate with said lever.

3. in rotary expansion engine, a hub; a plurality of cylinders extending radially trom said hub; valves in said cylinders; a case mounted movably on said hub; a segment of circular track, adjustable with respect to its length, mounted in said case and adapted to cooperate with the valves of said cylinders; tor the purposes set forth.

e. In a rotary expansion engine, a hub; a plurality of cylinders mounted radially on said hub; valves in said cylinders; a :asc mounted movably on said hub; a segment of adjustable track mounted in said case and adapted to cooperate with the valves in said cylinders; a lever mounted on said case and adapted to swing said case on said hub to reverse the motion of said huh and cylinders, and a quadrant adapted to cooperate with said lever.

OLIVER S. B()\ MAN. 

